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The Death of a Friend



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Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:45 pm
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soundofmind says...



Bo had to admit, he wasn’t really emotionally prepared for the level of tenderness the guy who he thought was Skull+Co’s enemy touched him with, saying he was happy to see him. Granted, he hadn’t been there to see or hear the guy before, but he felt like he was rightfully confused and concerned.

He reached to put a hand over the other guy’s hand (that was on his chest? he guessed he deserved that for accidentally chest-slapping Nathaniel earlier). But the moment he found the hand it slipped away, and the guy doubled over in pain, falling into him.

That was where Bo’s lovely instincts came in, and miraculously he caught the fellow, despite not being able to see, and held him in his arms.

“That’d be the jewelry. The kids put it on you because you were trying to kidnap them earlier,” Bo explained, his tone more gentle than the guy deserved, but it was mainly because of one suspicion. “But you’re not that dude right now, are you? Unless you had some amnesia kind of deal because of the silver...?”
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:54 pm
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Mageheart says...



I glanced between the chair and the shadow.

"You're the guy stealing my power!" I exclaimed, understanding dawning on me. Seeing that my power was supposed to be unique to me and me alone, I was more than a little upset.

But the guy didn't even seem to notice.

"I'm not," he confirmed. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

And even though Bo had just been catching him and not hugging him, the guy still returned the "hug" with one of his own.

"Bo," he said into Bo's chest, "it's me. Kartiel."
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:10 pm
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soundofmind says...



Bo wasn’t sure how to respond to the hug at first, still holding the guy with steady, but unsure arms.

And then he heard his friend’s name.

Bo’s heart skipped a beat, and he froze for a moment as the name processed through his head. It didn’t matter how Kartiel got here, or what body or voice he was using on what day. This was Kartiel, one of his dearest friends, and the second it clicked he pulled Kartiel into a tight, tight hug, drawing Kartiel close to his chest. He bent down, bringing his face to rest on Kartiel’s head as tears began to fall freely, with no eyelids or lashes to keep them at bay.

”Kartiel,” he said, his voice twinging with both sadness and joy mingled together. It was all he could get out before he started to weep into Kartiel’s shoulder, dragging Kartiel to the ground with him as he fell to his knees.
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:14 pm
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Mageheart says...



Kartiel didn't care that they weren't alone - he didn't even care that he didn't look like himself right now. He was just happy that he had managed to find Bo. It had been a wild goose chase to do what he did. He wasn't even sure that it had worked. But for the first time in a very long time, he was allowed to care when someone died.

And he was allowed to try to get some closure.

When Bo fell to his knees, Kartiel did, too. If he could have cried, he would have. But the person he currently looked like - if shadowy entities were people - didn't have the ability to cry. So his body just shook like it was supposed to be crying, and he kept hugging and hugging and hugging Bo for what felt like an eternity.

"I-I can't believe this worked," he whispered. "I-I was hopeful, but..."

He took a deep, shaky breath.

"You're really here," he said. "I'm really holding you right now. And I'm talking to you, too..."
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:24 pm
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soundofmind says...



Bo didn’t want to let Kartiel go, and he didn’t. He held on with an iron grip.

“How did you get here?” he asked in a tearful whisper, mostly in Kartiel’s ear. “How did you find me? I’m so happy to see-“ he stumbled over the word with a sob. “-I’m so happy you’re here.”

“I thought I’d never have a chance to talk to you again, never mind hug you again.”
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:00 pm
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Mageheart says...



It took Kartiel a moment to find his voice again. It didn't matter that it wasn't really his voice. Kartiel was used to using voices that were nothing like his own. Bo hadn't even met him when he was using his own voice; using a different one now wouldn't bother him.

"I used magic," he said. There was more to it than casting a spell, but he didn't think explaining the logistics was really what Bo wanted to hear. "I made sure my soul went somewhere near you."
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:09 pm
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soundofmind says...



Bo, for a moment, smiled and pulled away, grabbing Kartiel's host body by the shoulders and holding him out at arm's length before he froze. His smile faded slowly.

What was he doing? It wasn't like he could see Kartiel.

He still wasn't used to this.

"Is this - uh - wow, I don't even know how to ask questions right now," he said, letting out a breathy laugh. His face was still wet with tears streaming down and his throat was still tight from crying, but he was talking through it anyway.

"Are you here for long?"
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:14 pm
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Mageheart says...



Kartiel gave a tiny smile that he didn't really have, and wiped away tears that weren't really falling out of habit.

"I'm here for as long as you want me to be," he said. As long as he could keep tempting fate, at least. His actual body was back with his sister. She was monitoring it with magic, but he wasn't sure how long he could stay with Bo before he was forced to return to it.
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:32 pm
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soundofmind says...



Bo let out a mix between a cry and laugh. He wasn't sure what it was, honestly. Just kind of shaky breathing.

"Kart, I'm gonna be real with you bro, if I could choose I'd keep you here forever, but that would be selfish, and also you have a life of your own, and also I know even your magic has limits," he said, still a little laughter in his voice. His tears were stopping, as far as he knew.

He pulled Kartiel close, squeezing him before pulling back again. He kept both of his hands on Kartiel's arms.

He'd almost forgotten, but he realized Skull and the others were probably just... watching.

"Oh uh, Skull! Nathaniel. Asmira. This is Kartiel. A very dear friend of mine."
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:50 am
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Mageheart says...



Whoever this Kartiel guy was, he definitely seemed a little powerful - popping into this world from Bo's world definitely wasn't an easy task. I couldn't read the look on his face because Kartiel didn't really have one, but I got the feeling that the two of them were especially close.

So it looked like Bo had more than one magical friend kicking around.

"Hey," I said, with a smirk and a casual wave.

"Hello," Asmira said.

Nathaniel gave a little nod. "It's nice to meet you."

Now that the tearful reunion was out of the way, I decided it was time to slip into the conversation Bo and Kartiel had been having.

"You're talking like you're not going to see him again," I said, looking over at Bo. I had no idea if he could tell that I had moved a little closer or not. "I already told you that we're getting you back to your world - it just might take some time."

Kartiel turned to presumably stare at me. "You can't cheat death."

"I've done it twice," I said, "so I think I'm the expert on that. And besides - this entire world beats death."

There was a very long silence.

And then Kartiel quietly said, "...World?"
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:59 am
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soundofmind says...



Bo turned to Kartiel, smiling a little.

“Yeah, uh, this world is like, a place people can go after they die I guess. And they wake up with special powers. You know, like comic book stuff.”
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:49 pm
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Mageheart says...



Kartiel was silent for a moment.

He glanced between Bo and us, almost like he was trying to tell if one of us was pulling his leg. We weren't, obviously. When he seemed sure that we were telling the truth, he turned to look back at Bo.

"...Bo," he quietly said, "if this is another world, I can take you back to ours."
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:04 am
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soundofmind says...



Bo froze, and was quiet for a long moment.

He'd kept telling himself that going back home wasn't actually possible. He'd been trying to get his hopes down, so that he could try to face the music sooner, but Kartiel was saying he could go home?

"What?"
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:48 am
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Mageheart says...



"Bo," Kartiel repeated - I had a feeling he'd be smiling if he could. He just had that tone to his voice. "I know the spells to bring people between worlds. Don't you remember how much I used to do it? It was harder before, but I haven't been using nearly as much magic later - I've saved it up."

He paused.

If he hadn't been smiling before, I knew he had to be for sure now.

"You can come home," he whispered.
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.





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Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:56 am
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soundofmind says...



Bo wasn't sure what was happening. All at once, he felt sincere, intense euphoria and dread married together, and it was like he was hit with a wave of bricks. His grip on Kartiel's arms loosed, and his hands slid down to Kartiel's wrists.

"Mel," he said, as an incomplete thought. "Maya. Are they - how much time has passed for them? Have they already grieved my passing? Did-" his voice cut out for a second, his mind reeling at the thought. "-did they- did they have a funeral already?"
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.









So verily with the hardship, there is a relief, verily with the hardship, there is a relief.
— Quran Ch 94:5-6